HUM4102 - Changing Perceptions of Childhood

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

(1) Demonstrate understanding of the changing experience of children/adolescents and of constructions of childhood and adolescence across time and space;
(2) Demonstrate understanding of the use of key terms in the study of texts, particularly narrative and poetry: eg. realism, irony, voice, and figurative devices;
(3) Demonstrate an awareness of the range of primary sources available to the historian, and of methods of interpreting historical sources;
(4) Critically discuss specific poems, stories, and other kinds of text on themes related to childhood and adolescence, on the basis of an accurate and sensitive reading.

Content:

Students will be introduced to changing experiences, attitudes to, and constructions of childhood and adolescence. Sessions will focus on ‘texts’ (poems, short stories, oral traditions, images, artifacts) which represent the child or the adolescent, and/or which are intended for the child or adolescent.

Students will be introduced to a range of critical terms relevant to the study of these different texts. They will have practice in applying these by studying critically a range of texts, including short stories and poems, on themes related to childhood and adolescence.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning and teaching methods will combine lectures and workshops. A considerable amount of group work will be required of students both in sessions and independently. Students will be expected to prepare in groups for class presentations, and a portfolio of short written pieces will support the development of essay-writing skills.>br>
Lectures/Workshops
Contact hours 40
Number of groups 1

Assessment:

001 Portfolio of written work 1 x 1000 words (end of sem 1) 25%
002 Assessed essay 1 x 1000 words (end of sem 1) 25%
003 Group oral presentation 15-20 minutes (end of sem 2) 25%
004 Assessed essay: source analysis 1 x 1000 words (end of sem 2) 25%


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